Combination-padlock.



No. 000,307. l Patented out. 23, |900. T. P. 0wEN.

COMBINATION PADLDCK.

'(Apimction mea Feb. 2e, 1900.)

(N0 Model.)

WW1/Leones UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS P. OWEN, OF YORK, NEBRASKA.

COMBINATION-PADLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming* part Of Letters Patent N0. 660,307, dated October 23, 1900. Application led February Z6, 1900. Serial No. 6,628. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. OWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing atYork, in the county of York and State of Nebraska, have inventedan'ew and useful Combination- Padlock, of which cation.

This invention relates to combination-locks; and the particular object of the invention is to provide a permutation-padlock of simple construction that can be manipulated in the dark as well as in the light.

A further object is to provide means Whereby the combination may be easily changed without the necessity of dismembering the lock.

These objects are attained in the construe` tion shown in the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification, and in whichthe following is a specifi- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lock concarrying the combination-changing device.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

The casing of the lock comprises two faceplates 10 and the surrounding rim 11. These plates are preferably fastened together by means of lugs 12, which are provided o n the edge of the rim 11 and are upset in the openings 13 in the face-plates 10, thus making a strong casing for the locking mechanism. The rim 11, however, does not extend across the upper end of the casing. Instead the two face-plates are provided at their inner upper edges with opposite parallel grooves, in which slides a flat cover-plate l5. This cover-plate 15 when in place completely closes the opening in the top of the casing with the exception of a space to allow the free end of the pivoted hasp 16 to be inserted. 'The said hasp 16 is pivoted to one corner of the casing, and its free end is ilattened and provided with an The locking-catch 18, which is slightly curved, is pivoted at its lower end within the casing and is provided at its upper or free end with a catch-lug 19, that engages in the opening 17 of the hasp 16. The locking-catch 18 is also provided on its inner side intermediate its ends with an engaging projection or stud 20, which is adapted to enter the recesses 21,22, and 23 of the rotatory tumblers 24, 25, and 26 when said recesses` are alined. A thumb-piece 27 projects through the rim, the inner end resting against thelockng-catchlS, whereby said catch is operated. This thumbpiece 27 is loosely mounted in an opening in the rim and has a shoulder on its inner end,

which prevents its displacement.

Projecting through the central portion of one of the face-plates 10 is the tumbler-shaft 28, which carries an operating device at its outer end, preferably in the form of a knob 28a. The inner portion of the tumbler-shaft extends directly across the space between the face-plates, the end opposite the operatingknob itting in a socket in the inner face of the opposite face-plate 10. Secured to the shaft 28 so as to rotate there-v with and in close relation to the inner side of the faceplate l0 is the tumbler 24. This tumbler is in the form of a iiat disk having a smooth peripheral edge and being provided in this edge with the recess or notch 21, one edge of which is beveled. This tumbler is also provided upon the surface opposite the face-plate with a projecting stud 29, which engages a similar stud or pin 30, that passes through and projects from both faces of the central tumbler 25. The tumbler 25 is also in the form of a flat disk and has acentral opening 31, through which loosely passes the tumbler-shaft 2 8, thereby permitting the tumbler 25 to rotate freely upon'said shaft eX- cept when the studs 28 and 30 are in engagement. The edge of this tumbler 25 is corrugated to form click indentations, the outer IOO portions of the corrugations extending beyond the plane of Vthe smooth edge of the tumbler 24 and the bases or inner portions of the in dentations being flush with such edge. rlhe edge of the tu mbler-disk 25 is further provided with a deep notch 22, the sides of which are parallel.

v Arranged directly over the central tumbler 25 is a third tumbler 26. This tumbler is provided with a central opening 32 for the reception of the tumbler-shaft 28', around which it freely rotates. The edge of this tumbler 26 is also corrugated and is provided with a deep notch or recess 23. The face adjacent to the tumbler 25 is provided with a stud 33, that is engaged' by the stud 30 of said tumbler 25 when the latter is' rot-ated, and the two studs 30 and 33 are so arranged that when in engagement the corrugations of the edges of both tumbler-s will be alined.

A fiat springl 37, fastened at one end to the casing, has its free end inturned, as at 38, and engages the edge of the notch 23 when said notch is in alinement with the tumblerengaging projection 20. This holds the tumbler 23 against any accidental displacement after said notch has been alined with the projection 20.

Carried upon the face of the tumbler 26 that is opposite to the tumbler 25 is a flatindicator-plate 34. This indicator-plate is held to the tumbler by a frictional pivot.- connection consisting of an eyelet 35, which passes through theopening in the indicator-plate and also through the central opening of the tumbler 26 and has its ends turned over the edges of the openings. Bythis means the indicator-plate is held by frictional contact upon the tumbler, and yet it may be independently rotated upon the same when so desired. `The outer edge of the indicator-plate is smooth and curves to conform to the periphery ofthe tumbler which carries it. Furthermore, it is ush with the outer edges of the corrugations of said tumbler, whereby a smooth edge is provided upon a portion of the periphery of the tumbler.

Suitable washers 36 are arranged between each of the tnmblers and between the tumblers and the casing.

Assuming the hasp to be in alocked position, with the lug 19 engaging in the opening 17 of the hasp and the several notches 2l, 22, and 23 of the tumblers out ot alinement, the thumb is pressed lightly upon the thumb-piece 27 and the knob 28d is rotated. This will rotate, by means of the engaging studs, the several tumblers, and the thumb-piece will be vihrated as the tumbler-engaging projection 20 of the locking-catch rides over the corrugated edges of the tumblers. This rotation is continued until the stud 20 rides upon the smooth edge of the indicator-plate 34, which will indicate the starting-point of the combination. The knob is then rotated to the right until the tu mbler-engaging stud 20 is in alinement with the notch 23, which can be arranged at any desired predetermined number of indentations from the smooth edge of the indica tor-plate and which can be counted by the number of clicks or vibrations of the thumbpiece 27, the corrugations of the two tum blers being alined. The knob-haudle is then rotated in an opposite direction, which will rotate the central tumbler 25, and the stud 30, disengaging the stud 33 of the tumbler 26, will leave the latter in proper position, with the notch 23 opposite the tumbler-engaging projection 20, and by means of the spring 37 the tumbler will be held against accidental displacement. The tumbler 25 is rotated in this direction a predetermined number of clicks or vibrations, which will bring the notch 2 of said tumbler in alinement with the notch of the tumbler 26. The knob-handle 2S is again rotated in a reverse direction until the notch 21 alines with those of the other tuin blers, whereupon the tumbler-engaging projection 20 will be forced into the alined notches by means of the pressure of the thumb upon the thumb-piece 27.

When it is desired to change the combination, the hasp 16 is thrown back and the slide or cover 15 removed. The end of the slide or some similar article is then inserted in the opening on one side of the end ot the indicatingplate 3ft and the knob-handle 2Sa is rotated until the indicator-plate has been moved around as far as desired upon the tumbler 26, thus quickly changing the combination.

It will be understood that any number of intermediate tumblers may be used, as desired, and various other changes in the form, proportion, size, and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

It will thus be seen that this construction provides a very simple combination-padlock that can be manipulated in the darkness as readily as in the light and being composed of a few simple parts has no delicate mechanism to be easily broken or that will get out of order. Furthermore, it provides means whereby the combination may be readily changed without the necessity of dismembering the lock in order to get at the operating mechanism.

Having now fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a latch, of a locking mechanism for said latch, and means whereby when said locking mechanism is operated indicating pulsations are imparted to the latch, substantially as described.

2. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a latch, of locking mechanism for said latch, said locking mechanism having means for imparting indicating pulsations to the latch, substantially as described.

3. In a permutation-lock, the combination IIO with a latch, of locking mechanism for said latch, said locking mechanism having means for imparting indicating pulsations t0 the latch, and means for operating the latch, said operating means also constituting an indicator for the pulsations, substantially as described.

4. A permutation-lock comprising a latch having a tumbler-engaging projection, and a locking mechanism consisting of a plurality of rotatable tumblers, each havingnotches to receive the projection of the latch, said locking mechanism also presenting a corrugated edge for the said tumbler-engagin g projection to ride upon, substantially as described.

5. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a pivoted latch having a tumbler-engaging projection, of a series of rotatoryturnblers provided with notches which when in alinement receive the tumbler-engaging projection of the latch, certain of said tumblers being also provided with corrugated edges, whereby, when they are rotated, indicating pulsations are imparted to the latch, substantiallj7 as described.

6. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a pivoted latch having a tumbler-engaging projection, of a series of rotatory tumblers provided with notches which when in alinement receive the tulnbler-engaging projection of the latch, certain of said tumblers being also provided with corrugated edges, whereby, when they are rotated, indicating pulsations are imparted to the latch, and a combinationchanging device carried by one of the corrugated tumblers, substantially as described.

7. In a permutation-lock, the combination with an operating-shaft, of a rotatorylockingtumbler loosely mounted upon the operatingshaft and having its peripheral edge corrugated, an indicator normally in engagement with the peripheral corrugated edge whereby when the tumbler is rotated, indicating pulsations are imparted to the indicator, and a plate carried by said tumbler and extending over a portion of the corrugated peripheral edge and presenting a smooth edge arranged Hush with the plane of the outer edges of the corrugations, said plate being movable to cover diierent portions of the corrugations, substantially as described.

S. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a pivoted latch having a tumbler-engaging projection, of a series of rotatory tumblers provided with notches which when in alinement are adapted to receive the tumbler-engaging projection, certain of said tumblers being provided with corrugated edges, one of said latter tumblers carrying a plate which covers a portion of the corrugated edge, said plate being movable to cover dierent portions of said corrugated edge, substantially as described.

9. In a permutation-lock, the combination with a pivoted hasp, of a pivoted latch adapted to engage the hasp and carrying a tumblerengaging projection, a tumbler-shaft carrying a plurality of rotatable tumblers which are provided with notches adapted when alined to receive the tumbler-engaging projections of the latch, certain of said tumblers being also provided with corrugated edges, over which the stud and the latch are adapted to ride when the tumblers are rotated, and thereby impart indicating pulsations to the latch, and a push-pin arranged to operate the latch and indicate the pulsations of the same, substantially as described.

10. In a permutation-padlock,the combination with a casing, of a hasp pivoted to the casing, a pivoted latch arranged within the easing and adapted to engage the free end of the hasp, said pivoted latch being alsoprovided with a tumbler-engaging projection, a tu mbler-shaft carrying a plurality of rotatable tumblers which are provided with notches, adapted when alined to receive the tumblerengaging projection of the pivot-latch, certain of said tumblers being provided With corrugated edges over which the tumbler-engaging projection is adapted to ride when the tumblers are rotated, one of said corrugated tu mblers carrying a plate which covers a portion of the corrugated edge of said tumbler, said plate being movable to cover dierent portions of said corrugations, and a push-pin arranged to operate the latch and indicate the pulsations of the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. OWEN. 

